Image forming device

Abstract

An image forming device has: a supporting/conveying member that supports a sheet-shaped recording medium from a bottom surface of the recording medium, and conveys the recording medium while rotating; an abutment member that abuts a leading end portion of the recording medium and stops the leading end portion of the recording medium; and a pushing roller that is provided at an upstream side in a conveying direction of the recording medium so as to face the supporting/conveying member, and pushes the leading end portion of the recording medium against the abutment member by rotating while contacting the recording medium and sliding on the recording medium.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An image forming device comprising:
 a supporting/conveying member that supports a sheet-shaped recording medium from a bottom surface of the recording medium, and conveys the recording medium while rotating; 
 an abutment member that abuts a leading end portion of the recording medium that is conveyed by the supporting/conveying member, and stops the leading end portion of the recording medium; 
 a pushing roller that is provided at an upstream side, in a conveying direction of the recording medium, with respect to the abutment member so as to face the supporting/conveying member, and pushes the leading end portion of the recording medium against the abutment member by rotating while contacting the recording medium and sliding on the recording medium; 
 a conveying member that conveys the recording medium, whose stoppage by the abutment member has been released, toward a downstream side in the conveying direction of the recording medium; and 
 a droplet ejecting head that ejects droplets onto the recording medium that is conveyed by the conveying member, and forms an image on the recording mediums; 
 a conveying roller that is disposed at an upstream side, in the conveying direction of the recording medium, with respect to a trailing end portion of a recording medium whose leading end portion abuts the abutment member, and that rotates and conveys the recording medium along a conveying path of the recording medium, 
 wherein, when viewed from a direction of a rotating shaft of the conveying roller, the pushing roller is configured to be swingably supported. 
 
     
     
       2. The image forming device of  claim 1 , further comprising an adjusting mechanism that adjusts nipping force by which the recording medium is nipped between the pushing roller and the supporting/conveying member. 
     
     
       3. The image forming device of  claim 2 , wherein the adjusting mechanism structures the pushing roller and includes a plurality of flexible elongated members that spread out in a radial form in a radial direction from a rotating shaft of the pushing roller. 
     
     
       4. The image forming device of  claim 2 , wherein the adjusting mechanism includes an elastic member that supports a rotating shaft of the pushing roller while expanding and contracting such that the pushing roller approaches or moves away from the supporting/conveying member. 
     
     
       5. The image forming device of  claim 2 , wherein the adjusting mechanism includes an interval adjusting member that moves a rotating shaft of the pushing roller and adjusts an interval between the supporting/conveying member and the pushing roller. 
     
     
       6. The image forming device of  claim 1 , further comprising a drive source that imparts rotational force to a rotating shaft of the pushing roller and rotates the pushing roller. 
     
     
       7. The image forming device of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a transmission member that transfers rotational force of the conveying roller to the pushing roller. 
 
     
     
       8. The image forming device of  claim 1 , further comprising a supporting mechanism that supports the pushing roller such that the pushing roller is, by its own weight, pushed against the supporting/conveying member. 
     
     
       9. The image forming device of  claim 8 , wherein the supporting mechanism includes a supporting member that, when viewed from a direction of a rotating shaft of the conveying roller, supports the pushing roller swingably with respect to the conveying roller. 
     
     
       10. The image forming device of  claim 1 , wherein the conveying roller rotates by being slave-driven with respect to the supporting/conveying member. 
     
     
       11. The image forming device of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the abutment members are provided with intervals therebetween in a transverse direction of the recording medium. 
     
     
       12. The image forming device of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of the supporting/conveying members are provided with intervals therebetween in a transverse direction of the recording medium that is conveyed. 
     
     
       13. The image forming device of  claim 12 , wherein guiding members, that guide the recording medium that is conveyed while supporting the recording medium from a bottom side, are provided between the respective supporting/conveying members and at outer sides of the supporting/conveying members that are disposed at outermost sides in the transverse direction of the recording medium, and restricting members, that restrict floating of the recording medium that is conveyed, are provided in the transverse direction of the recording medium with respect to the pushing roller, so as to face the guiding members. 
     
     
       14. The image forming device of  claim 13 , wherein a distance, between the restricting member and a guide surface of the guiding member that is disposed so as to face the restricting member, is set to be smaller than a distance between the droplet ejecting head and a supporting surface that is disposed so as to oppose the droplet ejecting head and that supports the recording medium that is conveyed. 
     
     
       15. An image forming device comprising:
 a supporting/conveying member that supports a sheet-shaped recording medium from a bottom surface of the recording medium, and conveys the recording medium while rotating; 
 an abutment member that abuts a leading end portion of the recording medium that is conveyed by the supporting/conveying member, and stops the leading end portion of the recording medium; 
 a pushing roller that is provided at an upstream side, in a conveying direction of the recording medium, with respect to the abutment member so as to face the supporting/conveying member, and pushes the leading end portion of the recording medium against the abutment member by rotating while contacting the recording medium and sliding on the recording medium; 
 a conveying member that conveys the recording medium, whose stoppage by the abutment member has been released, toward a downstream side in the conveying direction of the recording medium; and 
 a droplet ejecting head that ejects droplets onto the recording medium that is conveyed by the conveying member, and forms an image on the recording medium, 
 wherein a plurality of the supporting/conveying members are provided with intervals therebetween in a transverse direction of the recording medium that is conveyed, 
 wherein guiding members, that guide the recording medium that is conveyed while supporting the recording medium from a bottom side, are provided between the respective supporting/conveying members and at outer sides of the supporting/conveying members that are disposed at outermost sides in the transverse direction of the recording medium, and restricting members, that restrict floating of the recording medium that is conveyed, are provided in the transverse direction of the recording medium with respect to the pushing roller, so as to face the guiding members, and 
 wherein a distance, between the restricting member and a guide surface of the guiding member that is disposed so as to face the restricting member, is set to be smaller than a distance between the droplet ejecting head and a supporting surface that is disposed so as to oppose the droplet ejecting head and that supports the recording medium that is conveyed.